| Book Synopsis | February
8, 2011 |
The E Decision is a media literacy book that explores the relationships between ethics, aesthetics, and art. The primary perspective of the book is that aesthetic judgements are social mechanisms for propagating ethical values. Because of this relationship, aesthetic judgements are considered to be ethical decisions, a concept reflected in the book’s title. Although the text emphasizes art works created with new media, it does not discuss specific new media art works nor specific new media artists. Instead, The E Decision intends to enhance a reader’s awareness of the influences and consequences of aesthetic judgements. A primary conclusion of The E Decision is that the general function of all media is similar, whether those media are painting, stone sculpture, computer games, or new media art works. That function is to enhance a particular concept, person, or social institution. The relationship between ethics and aesthetics is discussed through a body of information derived from the fields of art, psychology, philosophy, aesthetics, and new media. An observational approach to aesthetics is presented by discussing actual rather than theoretical practices in the art world. Much of the book's content is based on structured interviews with new media curators, artists and theoreticians from Australia, Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Japan, Slovakia, and USA. The information within The Decision is meant to provoke a perspective that provides a reader with an awareness of the influences and consequences of using specific aesthetic criteria. The book proposes that specific values can be promoted intentionally by understanding the influences and consequences of aesthetic judgements.The E Decision is intended primarily for students and artists of new media art, but it may be of interest to designers, artists, theorists, and curators working in any medium. Since 2005, the ideas within the book have been formally presented during keynote addresses, lectures, and workshops in Canada, United States, Germany, Czech Republic, and Poland. Writing of The E Decision received support from Pratt Institute (USA), the Banff Centre for the Arts (Canada), ZKM - Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie (Germany), and the Media Arts Section of the Canada Council. Published articles related to The E Decision (click link to download) |
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